Can't Without You
by JainaDurron
Summary: Post-Courtship of Princess Leia Leia chooses Isolder, but maybe Han was right about him. Who can comfort her when Isolder displays his true colors? Please review!
1. Dancing the Night Away

When Han found her, Leia was sitting on the steps to the reception hall. Her slim, white dress was dirty from the ground and covered in her tears. Her face was covered in running make-up and faded lipstick.  
Sighing, he sat down with her, looking out at the passing speeders. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be in there celebrating with Isolder?"  
"Perhaps I should be, but I shouldn't. And it took me this long to realize that."  
"What happened?"  
"Let's just say, I shouldn't be surprised."  
They sat there in silence for a long moment, just watching the traffic in the dark. It was starting to get really cold, Han realized. It was already decently windy and Leia's hair was coming undone, blowing in the wind. 'What are you waiting for?"  
"I'm waiting for Luke to finish up with a meeting so he can pick me up."  
"Why don't I just drive you home. Then, you don't have to stay out in the cold for any longer. What do you say, huh? That sound alright?"  
"Are you sure?" Leia looked to him as he stood, grabbing his jacket.  
"Well, I don't have much of anything else to do."  
Leia thought about it a moment, slowly getting up. "Okay. But, straight home."  
"I promise." Before Leia got in his speeder, Han put his jacket on her and opened the front passenger seat. "In you go, Your Worshipfulness."  
Leia gave a small, light smile, already feeling a lot warmer.  
Han got in the driver's seat, started the speeder, and started for Leia's apartment. The drive was silent again until Han spoke up. "He's a jerk, you know. Isolder is."  
"Yeah, well. I wish I could have seen that earlier."  
"I mean he's a jerk for hurting you."  
"Can't hurt if I don't care. I guess I'm just kind of . . . disappointed."  
"Well, either way he's a jerk. You deserve so much better."  
Han parked outside Leia's apartment, walked her upstairs, and stopped at the door. "You can come in if you want," Leia offered, shedding his jacket and handing it to him. "Care for a drink?"  
"I spose'."  
Han waited on her couch while Leia dressed herself in pajamas. A couple minutes later, Leia came out in pajama shorts and a short sleeve brown shirt. She got two cups of elba water with ice and met Han in the living room.  
"Thanks," Han said.  
"No, thank you for the ride. It was getting chilly. You can stay for a while if you want. Luke will be home later."  
Han nodded, wondering what to say. Leia had the radio on, playing hits from today and a distant yesterday. An old, moderately calm tune came on and Leia jumped to turn it up a little. "Bail used to sing this song to me when I was little," she explained, smiling as she mouthed the lyrics.  
"I didn't know you liked music."  
Leia blushed. "I don't get to listen often. I used to dance to the radio with Daddy."  
"So, you dance, too?! I never knew, Princess." Han rose to his feet, took Leia's hands, and danced her around the living room.  
"You're not too bad on your feet, flyboy," Leia remarked, genuinely surprised. She could feel herself blushing. She tried to calm herself, but her heart was beating out of control, her pulse suddenly loud in her ears, and she felt really hot.  
"And you . . . I can tell you've done this before." The music's dynamics went from mezzo piano to piano and Han took the chance to spin Leia. Leia curled herself back into Han's arms, her breath catching as she found her way to Han's eyes. Her body was pressed up against his and the music had them moving slowly, caught in a passionate, slow dance.


	2. Our Song

Leia woke up in her bed. She didn't remember coming here last night. She and Han . . . they'd been dancing. Minutes, hours. She forgot how long, only remembered that she wished it had never ended. He must have brought her to bed.

Smells of a wonderful breakfast were floating from the kitchen and Leia went to find Luke cooking up nerf sausages and Corellian hotcakes. "Morning, sis. Breakfast's ready."

Leia sat down, took a bite of her hotcakes, tried to stop thinking about last night.

"Are you alright after . . . you know, after the whole thing with Isolder?" Luke sat down in front of her and ate his own sausages.

"Yeah, I'm alright. I don't really care about it, anyway."

Luke just nodded, staring at her.

"What?"

"Last night. What happened? Han was here." His gaze went to the living room. Kriff! He was using the Force! "You were dancing. With him. Leia, are you okay?"

Leia was about to keep up the lie, but, instead, she found herself confessing, shaking her head. "How could I be so foolish and let Han go like I did. I just accepted Isolder's proposal like I actually cared for him. No, it was all for Alderaan. And Alderaan is gone."

"So, you really do love him." Luke didn't ask. He knew. The look on Leia's face said it all.

"And I had him last night. He didn't leave. We didn't argue. Or bicker for that matter! I feel like I should have said something, told him the truth."

"He already knows the truth."

"I don't know what I would have done, though."

"Perhaps, you would have asked him to stay, maybe proposed, said yes to his proposals. Why, Leia,why do you always do this to your guys' relationship when he comes back?"

"I don't know!" Leia shook her head, tears leaking from her eyes. "I'm hopeless when it comes to love. I don't know what I'm doing. I never do. I just can't keep Han, can I? I only know how to push him away. What do I do?"

Luke didn't say another word, didn't know what to say. He just kissed his sister's head and left her alone.

Leia sat on her bed with her legs curled up under her. She longed for the feeling of Han's arms around her again, to dance with him around the living room, to feel what she felt that night.

She eyed the clock briefly. In a quarter of an hour, she was supposed to be meeting with Isolder for a date at a Hapan restaurant. She was planning to formally break up with him then. Dressing this nice hadn't been her idea. Personally, she would have gone with sweats and head back for bed as soon as possible. But, Luke had insisted on this tight-fitting, brown dress, her usual braided headband, and her finest make-up. Her lips were colored a nude, dull but bold and beautiful color and her eyes were outlined with black eyeliner. Her eye shadow was also nude, bringing out the color of her eyes.

"Leia," Luke knocked on her door. "Somebody's here." She followed her brother to the door. He opened it and quickly stepped aside so Leia could see him standing there, a big bouquet of white arralutes in hand and dressed in his usual home planet uniform. "Good evening, Your Worship."

"Han!" Leia threw herself into his arms. He laughed, returning the embrace. "What are you doing here?"

"I told him he needed to talk to you again," Luke told her. "You really don't need to talk to Isolder. Hapes gets the idea. By the way, they take much offense, but who cares? They were never going to join the New Republic, anyway."

In a lower whisper, Han suggested, "I thought we could talk over dinner."

"Over a dinner date?" Leia asked, hopeful.

"Do you want this to be a date?"

"I kind of do." Leia smiled up at him, taking his arm.

"Wait. You'll have her back by eleven?" Luke asked.

"Promise. Now, ready to go, Princess?"

Leia slipped on her heels and took Han's arm again. "Ready if you are."

"Are you kidding?! I've been waiting!"

And Leia laughed.


	3. Last Night Reminded Me

The waitress served them their last course, offering a smile as she left. On her way out, she turned up the music so it was at least audible. Leia smiled. "In the matter of a couple days, this had become our song, hasn't it?"

Han shrugged. "I might have arranged something. Why? Does it offend you that I've done this because it used to be you and your father's song?"

"No, not at all." Leia shook her head, getting up from her seat. "This song is special to me. I want it to be a part of us."

Leia walked around the table to Han and picked up his hands to make him get up. He obeyed her, pulled her close, and cradled her head to his chest. "Never let me leave you," Leia begged. "Please. I can't do this to myself anymore. Make me stay and we can pick up exactly where we left off on Dathomir."

"Be honest with yourself and I'll never have to make you stay."

Leia tilted her head back to look Han in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'll always be honest from now on. I swear. There's nothing I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you. Let's go back to Dathomir! I'll tell you how I really feel! Please, Han-"

"Princess, I'll always be here to listen. Besides, there'll never be another woman I'll ever be thinking about."

Leia smiled, blushed, her heart jumping into her throat. "And there'll never be another man I'll be thinking about," she responded back.

Han had no idea he was actually going to do it until he did it. He felt his hand slipping down to his pocket, but had forgotten he'd been keeping it there. He let go of Leia and dropped to one knee. "Marry me, Leia. Just marry me. We've been talking for far too long and, fierfek, Leia, I hate talking. We've been talking about it and waiting for so long. Let's just get married already. I'm serious. This time, I mean it as much as I possibly can. And I feel like you mean it too, now. Leia, I think it's finally time. I'm ready. I love you, Leia and you know that. You love me and I know. Please, Leia. Let's not talk anymore. Will you marry me?"

Leia couldn't close her mouth. Technically, Han had proposed to her before, but this time . . . this was legit. He had never meant it so much before. Nor had Leia. "Yes. Yes." She nodded, dropping to the floor with him. "Yes. No more talking. I'm ready."

Han slipped the ring onto her finger, then pulled her up with him and danced the night away to their song.


	4. Forever

Following tradition, Luke got the first dance. In place of the fathers that weren't here for Leia on such an important day, Luke was given all such fatherly honors. After Luke had his turn, Han came back to his beloved princess and swept her across the floor to their song.

 _ **Eighteen**_ __ _ **Months**_ __ _ **Later**_

Han kept his hands on her hips, supporting her so she wouldn't collapse. He listened to the sound of her heavy breathing as she danced through the pain. The radio was playing softly. Han had only turned it on in hopes of calming his wife. "How are they doing?" he asked, rocking her from side to side, foot to foot.  
"I think we're getting close," Leia whispered, offering a smile.  
"How are _you_ feeling?"  
"The contractions are getting closer together yet."  
Han kneeled in front of her to kiss her enormous belly. "Hey, Jaina, Jacen. This is your daddy. Mommy and I are really excited about you guys coming out. We're super excited you guys are going to be outside with us now! We love you leaps and loads, kiddos!"  
Leia laughed until another contraction hit. "Oh!"  
"Hey," Han jumped up, holding her.  
"Han," Leia began, nervously. "We need the doctor. They're coming!"  
And, in the background, their song started over.


End file.
